阅读理解。
"How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly waythat people in the USA greet each other. But "How
are you" is also a very unusual question. It's a question that doesn't need an answer. The person who asks
"How are you" hopes to hear the the answer "Fine", even if the person's friend isn't fine. The reason is that
"How are you" isn't really a question and "Fine" isn't really an answer. They are simply other ways of saying
"Hello" or "Hi".
Sometimes, people also don't say exactly what they mean. For example, when someone asks, "Do you
agree?" the other person may think, "No, I disagree. I think you are wrong…" But it isn't very polite to
disagree so strongly, so the other person might say, "I'm not sure." It's a nicer way to say that you don't
agree with someone.
People also don't say exactly what they are thinking. For example,many talks over the phone finish when
one person says, "I've to go now." Often, the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse. "Someone is
at the door." "Something is burning on the stove." The excuses might be real, or not. Perhaps the person
who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say that. The excuse is
more polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person.
Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, or finishing a talk, people don't say exactly
what they are thinking. It's an important way that people try to be nicer each other, and it's a part of the game
of language.
1. When a person in America asks "How are you", he or she wants to hear "______".[ ]
A. How are you.
B. Hello
C. I don't know
D. Fine
2. When a person doesn't agree with someone, it's more polite to say, "______." [ ]
A. You are wrong, I think
B. I am not sure
C. I'm sure I don't agree
D. No, I don't agree
3. A polite way to end a conversation on the phone is to say, "______." [ ]
A. I have to go now
B. You should hang up
C. You should have to go now
D. I don't like to talk any more
4. When a person says, "I have to go now", he may be ______. [ ]
A. ill
B. asking you a question
C. giving an excuse
D. hurting someone's feeling
5. One of rules of the game of language is erhaps "______". [ ]
A. Don't tell people the truth
B. Don't hurt the other person's feelings
C. Always say what you mean
D. Never say exactly what you are thinking about
